The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group has unanimously approved the removal of Vice-Speaker Eva Abdulla from her post.
However, the implementation of the removal is pending further action.
The approval follows Abdulla’s recent resignation from the MDP. With a clear majority in parliament, the MDP possesses enough members to potentially remove Vice-Speaker Eva Abdulla in accordance with the Constitution. The Constitution stipulates that a simple majority or two-thirds of the 87-member Parliament can remove the Vice-Speaker.
The decision to oust Eva Abdulla from her position comes after her resignation from the MDP and subsequent removal from the party register by the Elections Commission. Eva is a close ally of former President and Speaker Mohamed Nasheed. She resigned along with other loyalists of the former president with the intention of forming a new political party. However, the formation of the new party has yet to materialize.
A group of 12 MPs, including Eva Abdulla, announced their departure from the MDP on May 17. They signalled their intention to establish a new party to contest the upcoming presidential election. This breakaway faction, consisting of Nasheed loyalists, is set to become a minority party in parliament, with a greater number of members compared to opposition parties such as PPM, PNC, MNP, and JP.
Eva Abdulla had expressed her intention to retain her position as Vice-Speaker even after leaving the MDP. However, the MDP Parliamentary Group has now unanimously backed her removal from the post.
During her announcement of leaving the party, Eva Abdulla raised concerns about the MDP parliamentary group’s reluctance to address the issues of corruption within state-owned companies.
As the nation anticipates the upcoming presidential election, the proposed formation of a new party by President Nasheed’s loyalists introduces uncertainties regarding potential realignments of political alliances and their impact on the electoral outcome. Analysts suggest that the emergence of this new political entity could significantly shape the country’s future trajectory.
